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The Remarkable Rough-Riding Life of Theodore Roosevelt and the Rise of Empire America

Written and Illustrated by Cheryl Harness

Theodore Roosevelt was man of big ideas and big actions. During his time as a president he fought the powerful Captains of Industry when they wanted to form larger monopolies. Teddy was also the first president to invite an African American, Booker T. Washington, to dine at the White House when the nation was still divided with racism.

In Harness’s book, the book begins with with the birth of Teddy Roosevelt, and ends with his death. It’s a bit of a rough start as Harness awkwardly tries to include every detail of Teddy’s life in a casual tone of voice. But the book picks up towards the middle and becomes an engrossing read. This book would be a good alternative to a textbook detailing the life and times of Teddy Roosevelt, as it is chock full of national and world events as well as quotes from Teddy Roosevelt’s letters, books, and diaries. The illustrations, sidebars and the timeline at the bottom of the page are also interesting and add even more background to the story.